How to Replace a Washing Machine Drain Pump

Quick answer: Replacing a washing machine drain pump is a 30-minute job with hand tools. The pattern is the same across brands: power off → drain residual water → drop the kick panel (front-loader) or access plate (top-loader) → disconnect hoses and the electrical plug → swap → reverse. Brand-specific notes for Bosch, Samsung, LG, F&P below. Match your model number to the right pump first — we stock drain pumps for every major AU brand, same-day Sydney dispatch.

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Last updated September 2026

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What you’ll need

Replacement drain pump matched to your model (don’t start the job without it in hand).
Multi-bit screwdriver (Phillips + flat blade).
Hose clamp pliers (or strong fingers — the spring clamps don’t need tools, but pliers help).
Towel + tray (water will come out, no matter how empty the drum looks).
Phone camera (photograph wiring before you unplug anything).

15-30 minutes for most front-loaders; 30-45 for some top-loaders that need the cabinet partially lifted.

Universal procedure (every brand, every type)

Step 1: Power off at the wall (60 seconds)

Unplug the machine. Don’t trust the switch on the front of the cabinet — pull it from the wall socket.

Step 2: Isolate the water and pull the machine out (5 minutes)

Both taps off at the wall.
Disconnect both inlet hoses at the tap end (towel ready — there’s water in the hoses).
Pull the machine out from its space, enough to get behind and beneath it.

Step 3: Drain the residual water (5 minutes)

Even if the drum looks empty, the pump body and the sump hose hold water.

Front-loaders: behind the kick panel, find the small black emergency drain hose. Hold a tray under it, pull the stop cap, let it drain.
Top-loaders: lower the drain hose to floor level into a bucket. Gravity-siphon will pull most of it out.

Step 4: Access the pump (5 minutes)

Front-loaders: drop the kick panel — 2-4 screws across the bottom. The pump is behind it, usually bottom-right.
Top-loaders: tip the machine forward (you’ll need a helper for older heavy ones). On some models, the pump is accessed from underneath; on others, you remove a bottom-front access plate (3-4 screws).

Step 5: Photograph everything before you unplug it (60 seconds)

The electrical connector on the pump (orientation matters).
The hose clamps (which side faces up).
Any wiring routed past the pump.

A photo costs nothing; reassembly from memory costs an hour of guesswork.

Step 6: Disconnect the pump (5 minutes)

Electrical connector off — squeeze the locking tab, pull. Don’t yank the wires.
Hose clamps — spring clamps loosen by squeezing the two tabs with pliers; screw-type clamps loosen by unscrewing a few turns.
Wiggle the hose ends off the pump. Be ready for more water.
Mounting clips or screws — pump bodies usually slide out of plastic clips with a quarter-turn; some are held by 1-2 screws.

Step 7: Fit the new pump (5 minutes)

Reverse of Step 6. Confirm:

Pump body fully seated in the mounting clips.
Both hoses fully pushed onto the pump barbs.
Clamps fully tightened (no leaks when pressurised).
Electrical connector clicked home.

Step 8: Test before refitting panels (10 minutes)

Plug the machine in.
Turn the taps back on.
Run a rinse-only cycle (shortest cycle that triggers a drain).
Watch for leaks at the pump connections during the drain phase.
All dry, drum empties? Refit the kick panel / access plate.

If anything leaks: power off, tighten the clamp, re-test.

Brand-specific notes

Bosch (front-loaders)

Pump location: behind the kick panel, bottom-right. Access is generous.
Filter: front-mounted, twist-out — many Bosch pumps come as an integrated filter+pump assembly. Some sell separately.
Specific part to match: Bosch drain pump P/N 00145093 — fits WAW28460AU, WAP28380AU, WAP28482AU01, WAW28420AU17, WAW28440AU21.

Samsung (front-loaders)

Pump location: behind the kick panel, bottom-right.
Common part: Samsung drain pump DC31-00181A — fits the WW/WA/WD series broadly (confirm your model).
Watch for: Samsung’s electrical connector has a fiddly locking tab — easy to break if you force it.

LG (front-loaders + Direct Drive top-loaders)

Pump location: behind the kick panel.
Filter: front-mounted with a clear plastic window in some models — drain via that first.
Pump options: browse LG drain pumps — Direct Drive models share pump platforms.

Fisher & Paykel (WH-series top-loaders + front-loaders)

Pump location: behind the bottom access panel. On the WH7560 / WH8560 platform, one pump fits the whole range.
Specific part: F&P drain pump for WH7560 / WH8560 series — fits all generations from J1 to P3.
While you’re in there: the pump filter (H0020813720) is worth checking and changing if it’s been 5+ years.

Westinghouse / Electrolux / Simpson (shared Electrolux platform)

Pump location: behind the kick panel.
Notes: parts often cross-fit across the three badges. Confirm by part number on your old pump.

Beko / Haier

Pump location: behind the kick panel.
Notes: lower-cost machines often have very similar pump platforms across many models — but always confirm by part number.

FAQs

I ordered a pump and the connector doesn’t match — what do I do?

Almost always a model-mismatch — the part is for a similar but not identical platform. Send a photo of both connectors via the contact form, we’ll confirm and either exchange for the right part or talk you through an adapter if it’s safe.

My new pump leaks at the hose clamp — fix?

Most often the spring clamp wasn’t fully seated, or the hose end was cracked and needs to be trimmed back 5mm before re-fitting. Power off, drain, re-fit.

Can I run the machine with the kick panel off to confirm no leaks before refitting?

Yes — that’s exactly the right test. Run a rinse cycle with the panel off, eyes on the pump during the drain phase.

My old pump’s been in 10 years — is the rest of the machine going to fail soon too?

Pumps fail at their own pace, independent of the rest. A 10-year-old machine with a fresh pump can have many more years left if the bearings, suspension and control board are sound. We’ll tell you if the maths shifts toward replacement.

Ready to fix it?

Run your washer model through the Oz Appliance Spares Part Finder — model in, exact-fit pump out.
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Order before 12pm AEST → ships from our Sydney warehouse same day, Australia-wide.

Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.

What you’ll need

Universal procedure (every brand, every type)

Step 1: Power off at the wall (60 seconds)

Step 2: Isolate the water and pull the machine out (5 minutes)